Hyderabad, Feb 29 (IANS): Eminent breast surgeon Raghu Ram has been conferred the prestigious India-UK Achievers award of the National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) of the UK.

Raghu Ram, who is founding Director of KIMS-Ushalakshmi Centre for Breast Diseases, Hyderabad was presented the award in the Education, Science & Innovation category by Prof Luis Gabriel Franceschi, Assistant Secretary General of the Commonwealth in London on Wednesday.

The award was presented in recognition of Raghuram's extraordinary achievements and trailblazing body of work towards transforming the delivery of breast cancer care in India.

Raghu Ram said that he is deeply grateful and incredibly humbled to accept this high honour.

"For close to two decades, I have strived to replicate the best of British practices towards transforming Breast Cancer Care in Bharat and feel immensely proud to be a role model 'living bridge' between the UK and India. I dedicate this tremendous recognition to my patients who have given me the unique privilege to be involved in their care, to the surgical fraternity in India, and above all, to my family who stood rock solid by me," he said.

Raghu Ram is a recipient of the prestigious Padma Shri and Dr BC Roy National awards. He is also one of the youngest Surgeons of Indian origin in over 100 years to be honoured by Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II with an OBE - Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, which is the second highest ranking Order of the British Empire award (excluding a knighthood) in recognition of his "outstanding services towards improving breast cancer care and surgical education in India and to UK/India relations".

Instituted by NISAU partnership with the British Council and the UK Government, the award celebrates the exceptional achievements accomplished by global achievers of Indian origin, who have completed their higher education in the UK and whose contributions have shaped the India-UK bilateral relationship.